Knowra Sexual medicine Sexual medicine Sexual medicine is the clinical field concerned with sexual function, sexual health, and related difficulties across the lifespan. It combines medical assessment with psychological and relationship-informed care.
Erectile dysfunction : The persistent inability to attain or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual activity. It is a common concern assessed for vascular, hormonal, neurological, medication-related, and psychological causes.
Human sexual response cycle : A model describing patterns of physiological and psychological change during sexual activity. It offers a framework for locating difficulties in desire, arousal, orgasm, or resolution.
Sexual history : A structured clinical conversation about sexual health, experiences, concerns, and relevant medical context. It helps connect symptoms with health conditions, medications, relationships, and individual goals.
Sex therapy : Psychotherapy focused on sexual concerns, behavior, communication, and relationships. It overlaps with sexual medicine but does not itself provide medical diagnosis or treatment.
Sexual stigma : Social disapproval or discrimination directed at sexual identities, behaviors, or health conditions. Stigma can delay disclosure and care, making nonjudgmental practice clinically consequential.
Female sexual dysfunction : A group of persistent difficulties involving sexual interest, arousal, orgasm, or pain that cause distress. It illustrates how assessment can address multiple aspects of sexual response rather than a single symptom.
Sex hormones : Hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, that influence reproductive and other bodily functions. Hormonal changes can affect sexual desire, arousal, comfort, and function.
Informed consent : A voluntary decision made after receiving and understanding relevant information about a proposed intervention. Sensitive examinations and treatments require clear explanations, permission, and respect for boundaries.
Reproductive medicine : The medical specialty focused on fertility, reproduction, and reproductive disorders. Its central focus is reproduction, while sexual medicine also addresses pleasure, function, and distress.
Patient-centered care : Healthcare organized around a patient’s preferences, needs, and values. Sexual concerns often involve personal goals that cannot be reduced to symptom scores alone.
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